Coating machine



Oct. 17, 1939.

E. G. DALEY COATING MACHINE Filed May 9, 1938 m m m: m 2 m 0 .A w W i nl l Fa. llwllifly F n a 17 .r lml Patented Oct. 17, 1939 COATING MACHINEEugene G. Daley, Rushville, Ind; assignor to Chas. E. Francis (30.,Rushville, Ind, a corporation of Indiana Application May 9, 1938, SerlalNo. 206,735

Claims.

My invention relates to coating machines, and

especially to machines of the .type in which a supply of liquid coatingmaterial, such as glue. lacquer, or the like, is contained in atrough-like 5 space formed by co-operating applicator and doctor rolls,the 'applicator roll conveying the coating material as a film on itssurfacefrom the supply to the work and the doctor roll regulating thethickness of such film. In such a machine, the coating material in thetrough-like space between the applicator and doctor rolls must beconfined between the ends of those rolls, and it is the object of thepresent invention to provide an improved form of confining means for useat such points. More specifically, it my object to confine the coatingmaterial at the ends of the doctor and applicator r01 5 by means whichis readily demountable in order to facilitate cleaning of the machine.

In carrying out my invention, I provide at each end of the trough-likespace between an applicator roll and its associated doctor roll aremovable plate' which bears against the end surfaces of the rolls toprevent the escape of coating material. These plates may rest on therollshafts and may be held axially "against the ends of the roll by anysuitable means. The plates do not cover the entire endsof the rolls butinstead cover only the portions adjacent the trough-like space in whichthe supply of coating material is maintained, and they are desirablyrelieved soias to make contact with the ends of the rolls only at pointsadjacent the periphery of the rolls.

' With such a construction, the resultant of the 35 frictional forcesbetween the rolls and each end plate is generally downward and tends tokeep the end plates seated upon the roll shafts.

'The accompanying drawing illustrates my invention: Fig. 1 is afragmental side elevation of a coating machine with parts thereof brokenaway to illustrate the construction more clearly; Fig. 2

is a fragmental plan view of an associated applicator roll and doctorroll; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a. slightlymodified form 15 inner face of one of the end plates; and Fig. 5

is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1, there is illustrated a fairly common type of coating machineembodying a frame Ill, 60 a table II, and upper and lower applicatorrolls I2 and I3. These rolls have respectively associated with themdoctor rolls l4 and l5, each doctor roll being placed at the side of itsassociated applicator roll so as to form between the rolls and 65 abovetheir point of approximate tangency a of construction; Fig. 4' is anelevation showing the trough-like space in which a supply of coatingmaterial is maintained. At their approximate point of tangency, theperipheral portions of the applicator and doctor rolls of each pair movedownwardly, each doctor roll regulating the thickness of the liquid-filmwhich is permitted to remain on the surface of the associated applicatorroll, and the applicator rolls carrying their respective films intocontact with boards or other objects which pass across the table II.Means for driving the rolls are not shown, as my invention is notconcerned with any particular form of roll-driving means. The thicknessof the film is regulated by adjusting each doctor roll toward or awayfrom its associated applicator roll, as by means of adjusting screws l6;and the machine is adapted for different thicknesses of work by raisingor lowering the adjustable head I! in which the rolls l2 and I4 arejournaled.

Toconfine the supply of coating material at the ends of the rolls, Iemploy end plates 20. One of such end plates is located at each end ofeach pair of rolls and bears against the end surfaces of the associatedrolls to prevent the escape. of coating material. If the bodies of therolls are constructed of resilient material, such as gelatine or softrubber, I find'it desirable to face the end surfaces with bearing plates2| of metal or similar material.

Since the only function of the end plates is to confine the supply ofliquid coating material between each applicator roll and its associateddoctor roll, it is unnecessary for the end plates to cover the, entireend surfaces of both rolls. All that is required is for the end platesto bridge that portion of the space between the rolls which is occupiedby the liquid supply.

Desirably, the end plates are relieved as indicated at 22 so as to bearagainst the ends of the rolls only near the respective peripheriesthereof. In their lower edges, the end plates are provided with notchesfor the reception of the shafts 24 of the respective rolls. Thesenotches may take any desired form, and serve to locate each end plate inthe common plane of the two shafts 24 with which it is associated.

movable as in Fig, 2, their inner edges are de-' of the associated rollthe end plate 20, which is interposed between the rolls and the collars26.

In Fig. 3, the collars 26 and springs 21 are omitted, the collar 25being spaced from the adjacent roll-ends a distance equal to thethickness of the associated plate 20. Whether the plateengaging collarsare fixed as in Fig. 3 or axially tion between the rolls and each plateaids the Weight of the plate in holding it firmly seated on the shafts24 while the machine is in operation. When it is desired to remove theplates for purposes of cleaning the machine 'or for any other reason, itis necessary only to lift them vertically. Replacement of the plates isequally simple, as it is necessary only to insert each plate between theroll-ends and the plate-engaging collars on the shafts ,24.

It is sometimes desirable to circulate the coating material confinedbetween each applicator roll and its associated doctor roll; and toprovide for connection with a circulating system, each of the end platesmay be provided with a removable screw-plug 30. It may also be desirablein certam situations to lubricate the engaging surfaces of the endplates and rolls. For the application of such lubricant, which wouldusually be a solvent for the liquid coating material confined betweenthe rolls, the end plates may be provided near their upper edges withrecesses 32 adapted for connection at their upper ends to pipes 33,through which the lubricant may be supplied, and communicating at theirlower ends with lateral passages 34 which terminate in the rollengagingfaces of the plates. I

, I claim as my invention:

1. In a coating machine, an applicator roll, a doctor roll, said rollsbeing supported in side-byside relation to define between them a spacefor containing a supply of liquid coating material, shafts upon whichsaid rolls are respectively mounted, said shafts projecting'beyond theends of said rolls, a plate for closing each end of theliquid-containing space between the rolls, each ofsaid plates beingnotched in its lower edge for the reception of said shafts and beingsupported thereby, and means mounted on said shaftsfor' holding each ofsaid plates against the adjacent ends of said rolls, the inner surfacesof said plates being shaped to engage the end surfaces of the rolls onlynear portions of the peripheries thereof which move generally downwardlyduring rollrotation.

2. In a coating machine, an applicator roll, a doctor roll, said rollsbeing supported in side-byside relation to define between them a spacefor containing a supply of liquid coating material,

shafts upon which said rolls are respectively mounted, said shaftsprojecting beyond the ends of said rolls, a plate for closing each endof the liquid-containing space between the rolls, each of said platesbeing. notched in its lower edge for the reception of said shafts andbeing supported thereby, and means mounted on said shafts for holdingeach of said plates against the adjacent ends of said rolls, the innersurfaces of said plates being shaped to engage the end surfaces of therolls only near portions thereof which move generally downwardly duringroll-rotation, said doctor roll, said rolls being supported inside-byside relation to define between them a space for containing asupply of liquid coating material, shafts upon which said rolls arerespectively mounted, said shafts projecting beyond the ends of saidrolls, a plate for closing each end of the liquid-containing spacebetween the rolls, each of said plates being notched in its lower edgefor the reception of said shafts and being supported thereby, and meansfor holding each of said plates against the adjacent ends of said rolls,the inner surfaces of said plates being shaped to engage the endsurfaces of the rolls only near portions of the peripheries thereofwhich move generally downwardly during roll-rotation.

4. In a coating machine, an applicator roll, a doctor roll, said rollsbeing supported in side-byside relation to define between them a spacefor containing a supply of liquid coating material, shafts upon whichsaid rolls are respectively mounted, said shafts projecting beyond theends of said rolls, a plate for closing each end of theliquid-containing space between the rolls, each of said plates beingnotched in its lower edge for the reception of said shafts and beingsupported thereby, and means mounted on said shafts for holding each ofsaid platesagainst the adjacentside relation to define between them aspace for containing a supply of liquid coating material, shafts uponwhich said rolls are respectively mounted, said shafts projecting beyondthe ends of said rolls, a plate for closing each end of theliquid-containing space between the rolls, each of said plates beingsupported on said shafts, and means mounted on said shafts for holdingeach of said plates against the adjacent ends of said rolls, said meanscomprising collars fixed on said shafts for rotation therewith andspaced from the adjacent ends of the respective'rolls a distance equalto the thickness of the associated plate, each of said plates beingremovably received between the ends of the rolls and the associatedcollars.

EUGENE G. DALEY.

